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Since the past many years, we keep hearing about the electricity crisis in Pakistan. Every year, our leaders promise better electricity production and every year it gets worse than the year before. I am no technology expert, neither am I highly informed on scientific issues; I am a simple law abiding citizen who pays taxes and bills and yet is caught up in this predicament. As I try to make sense of this state of affairs, as a layman, I can see a few things that are the cause and a few that are the solution to this crisis.

I know that we have resources to generate enough electricity to meet our basic needs but this means we need to simplify our lifestyles. Are we ready to do this? The kind of wastage of electricity seen at personal, public and religious events is shocking and unbelievable. Who would believe, after seeing the fancy and excessive lighting, that this is the nation facing a mega electricity emergency? There are deaths, casualties and sufferings in hospitals, schools and emergency centres due to shortage of this very important need of the times, electrical energy. In developed countries, even a young child will be careful to switch off unused electrical appliances as they understand the principle: WASTE NOT WANT NOT.

Misuse of Allah ta’ala’s bounties is zulm e azeem, meaning abuse, wrong, injustice of the highest degree as defined by the Glorious Quran:

و إن تعدّوا نعمت الله لا تحصوها- إنّ الانسان لظلوم كفار

(Relevant portion of the verse) And if you could count the favours of Allah Ta’ala, you could not enumerate them- Indeed mankind is (generally) most unjust and ungrateful. -(14:34)

I also know that as a nation, we tend to cut corners and compromise on honesty and integrity. An offspring of this vice is the “kunda”, illegal electric supply taken directly through the electric pole, meaning stealing of electricity. One would have thought that only the underprivileged and the deprived to stoop to this level, but no; along with the downtrodden, our rich and the richest also indulge in this vice. Then, tampering of electric metres so that they don’t show the correct consumption and hence a smaller electric bill. These affect our power source as enough revenue is not generated to maintain a steady supply. In developed nations as a whole, lying and cheating are seen as despicable acts and majority would not dream of indulging in them. They understand another principle of good living: HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

(Relevant portion of verse) But those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth- for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home. – (13:25)

I am not sure but, as a nation, I think we are also shortsighted in our vision. As long as our present is secure, we don’t look to the future or plan for it. This also impacts us in many ways, along with the electricity emergency. Each successive ruling party took measures and spent the nation’s wealth on projects that could be “seen” so that their vote bank could grow, rather than spend on long term projects like education, managing natural resources, etc. Our rivers and dams have been neglected for too long compounding the power crisis. Our nation is rich in natural resources but we are forever ungrateful. Progressive nations value their natural resources and work to preserve them. They believe: We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment. They also believe: Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good of men. The Magnificent Quran tells us:

إن الله لذو فضل على الناس و لكنّ اكثر الناس لا يشكرون

(Relevant portion of verse) And Allah is full of bounty to the people, but most of the people do not show gratitude.-(2:243)

و من يعتصم بالله فقد هدي إلى صراط مستقيم

(Relevant portion of verse) And whoever holds firmly to Allah has indeed been guided to the straight path.– (3:101)